Student leader's killing: Assam forms SIT, to approach CBI

Guwahati, Aug 4 (IANS) The government of Assam will constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the brutal killing of All Bodo Minority Students Union (ABMSU) president Lafikul Islam, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Thursday.

The government is also planning to request the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the killing.

“The state government will write to CBI to investigate the case,” the Assam Chief Minister said after holding a meeting with the representatives of ABMSU, All Assam Minorities Students Union (AAMSU) and Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) at Brahmaputra State Guest House in the city.

He announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the slain ABMSU leader.

An amount of Rs 50,000 would also be provided to Subhankar Chakraborty, who also received bullet injury in the incident and the state government would bear all his medical expenses, Sonowal stated.

The Chief Minister also said that he would take a detailed report regarding the killing of Lafikul Islam from DGP Mukesh Sahay, who rushed to Kokrajhar after the incident took place.

Condemning the murder of the ABMSU president, Sonowal said that the state government would not tolerate any such incident and appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony.

Reiterating the state government’s commitment for ensuring safety and security of the people of Assam, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the government would leave no stone unturned to nab the culprits. He also sought cooperation from the people in this regard.